A Guideline, Findings and Personal Story
SADDLE FITTING
of the Iberian Horse
by Jan Marie DeLipsey, Ph.D.
This article is written to guide the reader through the Bridle and saddle? A problem. Bitless with saddle? A
“basics” and the “not so basics” of saddle fit and the Ibe- problem. Bitted and bareback? No problem. Bridle and bare-
rian’s unique physiology and way of going. All this infor- back? No problem.
mation is available in one form or another on the internet. This
article, though, pulls it all together and hopefully can serve as It did not take a rocket scientist to identify the suspicious
a checklist when assessing your personal saddle fit. variable in these many mini-experiments. After wrestling with
denial and riding bareback exclusively for a few months with no
OUR STORY. My Andalusian/Arabian champion mare issues, I finally accepted that our conundrum was likely related
was often cross under the condition of concentrated riding to my custom-built dressage saddle. I will admit that the first
and always a dream girl when working on the line. Her under- few weeks of riding bareback caused me aches and pains in
saddle performance was acceptable, but often stiff. So, I went places I did not know I had, but my mare seemed obviously
back to basics and planned an assessment program similar happier, so we kept it up.
to starting a youngster to discover the source(s) of the issue,
knowing full well it might be me, her, or something related to I was unhappy with myself that I had not seen this issue
our partnership. sooner, even though it had been mentioned in passing by a
very good dressage coach. I summarily dismissed the ques-
Riding in halter and bareback delivered the first real in- tion because my mare had been “fitted” for a dressage saddle
sight into our difficulty. by a professional within a week of her purchase. How could
the saddle fit be the problem? We were both measured by a
seasoned “expert” English custom saddler from a highly repu-
table (and pricey) company.
I had let my partner down, and this beautifully spirited
mare kept trying to please in spite of her discomfort and pain.
Now that we are on the other side of this problem, I am amazed
that she did not toss me over the moon for asking so much
under the hindrances I had unwittingly imposed upon her.
Most Iberian enthusiasts are “attuned” to the needs
of their riding partners and spend a great deal of time and
money on tack, often relying on “experts” to guide them. This
is exactly what I did, and I thought I had done the right thing
for us both. I relied on traditional dressage experts to guide
me in saddle fitting. The problem? Those “experts” were not
attuned to the special needs of the Iberian confirmation, and I
wrongly assumed they were. This is how I began my research
of saddlers and saddle fit of the Iberian. I offer the following
fruits of study and labor to guide the reader in assessing and
working with professional saddle fitters and their Iberians.
SCIENCE AND THE IBERIAN. Start with the idea that
saddle fit is basically science and that knowing a particular
horse’s way of going along with a particular rider will neces-
sitate an element of “artful guessing” about what will work well
and what will not. I will talk more about this artful guessing
at the end of the article, once the reader plows through the
underlying science and definitions related to saddle fit.
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Saddle Fitting: A Guideline, Findings and Personal Story
SADDLE PLACEMENT. The saddle should sit between free. The closer the saddle sits up the thorax the more pro-
the shoulder and the horse’s last rib of the rib cage. Sitting a tected the horse’s spine will be.
bit shorter than the thoracic vertebra might be ideal for some
horses. Many Iberian horses are short-coupled, so identifying If the saddle length is the problem, there is really no
this last rib placement is especially important in measuring. reason to continue the assessment of fit. Pads, pleas, and
Several saddleries do not even make saddles short enough prayers will never make the saddle right. Hold a wake for the
for many Iberians. I regret that the English saddle-maker with saddle, put it in storage for a different horse or post it to Ebay.
whom I first worked did not see fit to notice that issue or worse, It is never going to work for your horse if it is too long.
if they did notice it, to inform me and thereby miss a sure sale.
THE SPINE & THE WITHER. Most people think of wither
THORACIC VERTEBRA: For the Iberian, the Thoracic comfort in terms of clearance between the horse’s body and
Vertebra is the 18th rib, the last rib in the rib cage. For the the saddle. Proper enthusiastic movement (rearing or crow
Iberian-Arab, the last rib might be 17th because many com- hopping is not considered properly enthusiastic) is associ-
pact Arabians have only 17 ribs in the rib cage. So, for this ated with full and free motion of the horse’s shoulders. When
type of Iberian cross, identifying the location of this last rib is a horse begins the reach with a front leg, the shoulder blade
essential. rotates back and up so wither clearance is assessed from the
top as well as the side of the saddle.
Concentrated riding of a saddle sitting beyond this last rib
will cause pain which different horses will manifest in different Beyond the obvious problems of intrusion upon and
ways such as fussiness, bucking, even complete lameness and restriction of the shoulders, impingement in this particular area
the worst, irreversible anatomical damage. In the past 10-12 of the horse’s anatomy can be associated with equine species-
years, biomechanically minded saddle fitters have significantly specific behavior related to dominance between horses that
shortened their saddles to stay within what some call the sup- the rider certainly does not want to unwittingly engage. The
ported saddle or riding area, i.e., the area between the withers biologically driven response to impingement in the trapezius
and the last rib. muscles might vary between horse genders in that a stallion
or gelding might slow or have less forward, where as a mare
The best way to assess length is to chalk (or flour) the might respond by hollowing to rotate her pelvis up for breeding
placement of the last rib and then set the saddle on the horse as well as evidence “less forward”.
without a pad to determine exactly where the saddle “ends”
in relation to the “ends” of the rib cage. One can tell from Species-specific behavior, i.e., genetically hard-wired
standing back and looking whether the saddle length extends behavior, is extremely resistant to modification, so it is much
beyond the Pillsbury flour mark. easier just to avoid engaging it in the first place. For example,
pecking by pigeons is impossible to eliminate in training be-
A general rule of thumb is when in doubt about length, cause it is a species-specific hard-wired behavior. Pigeons
shorter is better as long as the saddle keeps the shoulders will peck even when punished, so it is smarter to train pigeons
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to use their pecking behavior in a way that accomplishes the be whether the person can sit straight in the saddle without
trainer’s goal. undue strain. Is there enough saddle curvature and padding
behind the gluteal muscles to support the human’s spine? Do
SADDLE GULLET AND THE EQUINE SPINE. Gullet width the seat bones settle down into the saddle with enough sup-
of the saddle should be assessed in the context of the spine port to avoid pounding against the pommel area? What may
as well as wither. Logically, a broader spine requires a broader feel do-able at a walk might not work well at a canter so sitting
gullet and vice versa. Again, the issue of assessment is im- a saddle through multiple gaits and transitions is necessary to
pingement. It is important that a horse have the freedom to determine the fit for the human. The rider’s awareness of ease
correctly round up through the back and engage the hindquar- in settling the seat bones into the saddle and tilt of the pelvic
ters. A too narrow gullet will prohibit proper and true collection girdle is essential in determining good fit. Simply put, saddles
because it will impinge upon the spine which fit men well will generally not fit women well. Birds and
Bees anatomy logically inform as to this distinction. Enough
The gullet width should usually be at around three inches, said.
which would be about four fingers width on a small adult or
three on a larger person. The goal is to cradle, not sit upon, The ideal weight distribution of the saddle itself should be
the spine and ligaments. We want the horse to avoid bracing equalized fully across the saddle without gaps of contact in
through the back and hollowing because of impingement. One the middle or on either end. Proper weight distribution is also
way to assess whether the gullet is wide enough is to observe related to billet placement.
the rider in motion on the circle. On the circle or when round-
ing a corner, the saddle should not shift to the outside of the BILLET PLACEMENT. Billet placement perhaps is the
turn. Such shifting impinges upon the spine and ligaments easiest aspect of saddle fit to judge. The girth should lay right
and not only causes bracing and hollowing, but also can cause behind the horse’s elbow in what is commonly known as the
considerable damage to the horse. “girth groove”. Of course, the billets should be perpendicular
to the ground. If not, the saddle will shift forward and thereby
Kissing Spines, Dorsal Spinous Process (DSP), is gen- interfere with shoulder freedom. As with many other aspects
erally found in the “seated area” of the horse’s spine and is of improper saddle fit, impingement of the shoulder with the
associated with damage from poor saddle fit, usually a too saddle sitting too far forward can cause long-term or perma-
narrow gullet, and/or riding by the human. Radiographs can nent damage to the horse.
reveal bone and spine reactions and thermography can assess
inflammation in the back – all such investigative tools relate to SHOULDER FREEDOM & ELBOW CLEARANCE & AIR.
impingement in this area. Shoulder and elbow clearance is essential to proper collec-
tion and rounded movement… but so is air flow in and out of
The good news is that there are effective treatments for the horse. For the often large barreled, short coupled and
DSP, but such treatments are like fixing the fence when the uphill-built Iberian, a special contoured girth which conforms
barn is on fire. Physical treatment of the horse alone does not to this unique physiology might be worth consideration. Such
address the “cause” of the problem if it is the tack or a combi- girths even have middle elastic insets (an actual leather gap in
nation of tack and rider. the girth supplanted by elastic webbing) to avoid restricting air
output, pulling the saddle down into the shoulder or crushing
I hate to say it, but over the years when hauling to the vet- the saddle into the wither.
erinarian about various issues that might relate to lameness or
soreness in the back of different breeds of horses over differ- Air output? Yes, exhaling is a very important part of this
ent disciplines, I have rarely encountered a vet closely attuned equation yet on most saddle fitting sites it is rarely mentioned.
to the problems of saddle fit. At a canter, the horse will match one breath timed to one stride
(respiratory-locomotor coupling) and the exhale of air out is
EQUAL WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION & GENDER. Rider mostly dependent on the diaphragm, which is not the case
discomfort, tightness, and bracing will absolutely negatively when at rest or at lower gaits.
affect a horse’s way of going. Rider comfort is as important to
optimum performance as the comfort and physical protection Contrary to popular belief that a horse’s respiratory sys-
of the horse. tem can improve with training, it cannot. Empirical research
indicates that the amount of air moved in and out by an unfit
The saddle should be gender correct to properly and horse will remain fixed, even if that same horse undergoes
evenly distribute the rider’s weight. Bicycle saddles have long rigorous training and becomes fit. When tested as a fit horse,
been designed to address gender differences in how the seat the findings will look similar to those recorded under the unfit
is loaded and the distribution of weight to the pelvic structure. condition.
Why should we not address rider gender differences in saddles
for horses? Girth restriction of the diaphragm’s ability to exhale ef-
ficiently at the canter or hand gallop will absolutely negatively
There are many issues to consider here that can be easily affect performance and stamina. This issue would be of par-
adjusted, such as stirrup length, size and placement of thigh
blocks, or even stirrup shape. The more basic question would
Issue 1 | 2019 THE IBERIAN HORSE | 13
Saddle Fitting: A Guideline, Findings and Personal Story
ticular interest to those participating at concentrated canter The first saddle ride in nearly ten months was one without pain
and gallop in working equitation. or noticeable fear of it.
Even though shoulder freedom has been mentioned under After this first ride, my saddle fitter talked to me about
several different topics so far, it can be measured and is best the saddle settling in over time, and we decided to reassess
understood under the next topic, the angle of the shoulders the fit after three months, since by that time I had ridden
and their relation to one another in movement. bareback for nearly a year as I assessed the problem, found
the right saddle maker, and then waited for the new custom
SADDLE TREE AND ANGLE. Accurate measurement of saddle. I was not about to risk ever making my horse sore or
the ideal tree and angle is as unique as each and every back of fussy again. Plus, I knew that with better rounding and now
a horse. I have already covered the gullet aspect of the tree. more regular concentrated training, she would quickly muscle,
and her body, particularly the shoulders, would likely change
There are several specialized devices to measure needed significantly in a short period of time. The first reassessment
tree and angle lines. There is now a laser image device and a at three months indicated all was well and no changes were
computerized and sensor saddle pad which can provide highly made.
detailed information for ideal tree and angle of a particular
horse. This newer laser tool provides very quick data and more As predicated though, the sustained riding of a brand
data than the traditional “lobster claw” devices which many spanking new saddle over a period of six months did bring
saddle fitters use to assess angulation along the back at vari- about a need for more adjustments. The leather stretched a
ous points. There is now also a topographic physical device little and the unsullied, never packed wool settled the saddle
that can provide three-dimensional as well as angular mea- down a bit too far. My saddle maker had warned me to keep
surement of various points along the back. Nevertheless, the my eye on these issues, and after the first six months we
degree of usefulness of these specialized and newer devices packed more wool into my saddle to raise it a bit.
is directly dependent on the saddle makers’ ability to translate
the data into a well-fitting saddle. At the six-month mark, we did indeed become concerned
about shoulder movement. My happy mare, now properly
Trees generally come in three widths, and the real mean- fitted with her saddle had developed more physical stamina
ing of a narrow or wide tree will greatly vary from brand to and significantly more muscle in the shoulder as she had been
brand, as some saddle manufacturers also refer to the tree freed and was working well and strong through that area. She
angle in the width description. To be clear for the reader, the had also developed significantly stronger hindquarters. All of
tree width is the distance between the two sides of the tree these positive developments came from truer collection and
that make contact with the horse’s body, and angle refers to roundness. As a result of these positive developments, the
the degree at which the saddle slants from those points to the saddle tree had to undergo slight adjustment to widen up the
body of the horse. space for this girl’s bigger shoulder rotation and reach. I was
glad I had opted for an adjustable tree and that we could easily
To make matters even more confusing, different saddle give her more room with a slight tweak.
makers use different numbers to differentiate between narrow,
medium and wide, hearing that a saddle is a “medium narrow” MY TAKEAWAY. I now see saddle fit as an ongoing pro-
means little other than a medium tree with a narrow angle and cess rather than a one-time event. The success of this ongo-
does not address the real question of whether the tree angle ing process depends on my own knowledge, paying attention
properly aligns with the angle of the horse’s shoulders or to how my horse’s body changes, and depending on and work-
whether the tree is wide enough. ing in an ongoing way with a good saddle company.
SADDLE FIT IS A PROCESS, NOT AN EVENT: BACK The goal of this article is to share information and give the
TO MY STORY. After some investigation, I decided to buy an interested reader reliable background information as a guide
adjustable tree dressage saddle and am very now glad I did. to achieving good saddle fit for their Iberian. If the reader has
First, I will say that I was pleasantly surprised and impressed specific questions or would like to personally chat about vari-
with the saddle company representative wanting to see the ous options for referral, please feel free to email me, and I will
first ride of the new saddle through various gaits and transi- call you.
tions, observe the saddle placement as we rounded corners
and assess my body alignment in relation to the saddle. Happy (and I mean this literally) Riding! vTIH
__________
Our first ride was a smashing success. The initial gait
transitions were hesitant on my mare’s part, expecting pain. 1 I have purposely not referenced any particular saddle company in
But when nothing pinched or impinged, she relaxed and at this article because of our IALHA association’s commitment not to
times reached in a rounded way into the bit. I had been pre- promote businesses or equine related enterprises in a public manner
pared to have several rides before she would trust the saddle in our educational materials.
enough to reach, relax and stretch, but the months of saddle-
less riding had restored her health and happiness.
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